The Large-billed Sparrows 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size; pale coloration, light grayish brown above, 

 white streaked with brown below; beach-haunting and pier-dwelling habits. 



Nesting. — Not known to breed in California. Nest and eggs still undescribed. 

 Doubtless much as in preceding species. 



Range of P. rostratus. — Southern California, Lower California, and the coast 

 of Sonora. 



Range of P. r. rostratus. — According to Oberholser, breeds at the head of the 

 Gulf of California in Sonora and Lower California. At the close of the breeding 

 season scatters to southward, westward, and northwestward, reaching coast of southern 

 California and Cape San Lucas. 



Distribution in California. — Resident in "winter" from August to March 

 along the coast of southern California, from San Diego north regularly to Point Con- 

 ception, casually (?) to Santa Cruz; also in the southern interior, at least at Salton 

 Sea (Mecca, Jan. 31, 1913). 



Authorities. — Cassin, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1852, p. 184 (original de- 

 scription); Heermann, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., ser. 2, vol. ii., 1853, p. 265 (habits 

 in brief) ; Grinnell, Auk, vol. xxii., 1905, pp. 16-21 (query as to summer range; Calif, 

 synonymy); Anthony, Auk, vol. xxiii., 1906, pp. 149-152 (regarding breeding range); 

 Oberholser, Ohio Journal of Science, vol. xix., 1919, pp. 344-354 (crit. ; range). 



No. 43a San Lucas Sparrow 



A. O. U. No. 544a. Passerculus rostratus guttatus Lawrence. 



Description. — Similar to P. r. rostratus, but smaller and slightly darker, es- 

 pecially as to streaking of underparts; sides more deeply marked with brownish buffy; 

 bill slenderer. 



General Range. — "Lower California. Breeds on Abreojos Point; winters in 

 southern part of the Peninsula (San Jose del Cabo)" (A. O. U. Check-List). 



Occurrence in California. — Records by Edward J. Brown, of Los Angeles, 

 of a male taken at Anaheim Landing, Orange County, Oct. 5, 1916, and eighteen skins 

 of both sexes collected at Sunset Beach, Orange County, between Nov. 13, 1916 

 and Jan. 31, 191 7. Identified by Mr. H. C. Oberholser. 



Authorities. — Brown, E. J., Auk, vol. xxxiv., 1917, p. 340 (Anaheim and Sunset 

 Beach) ; Grinnell, Condor, vol. xxi., 1919, p. 41. 



CHRISTMAS bathing at Coronado or Long Beach is regularly 

 featured by the "movies," and duly participated in by loyal Californians, 

 desirous of impressing their eastern friends. It is great sport for the 

 hardy and the boastful; but it is the August crowd, panting from the 

 fervid interior stretches, which bathes because it must. And it is August 

 which brings the Large-billed Sparrow to our shores. Seated demurely 

 on a cushion of kelp, or scuttling nimbly about among its stranded rib- 

 bons, the bird snaps at flies and snatches up the tid-bits of the sea. So 

 modest are its ways and so sober its colors, it is quite likely to escape 

 the notice of careless bathers; but once espied, the bird becomes motion- 

 less, or else breaks for the shelter of the dunes. 



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